Sofhu makes Arabic majlis sofas and Afghan toshak-style floor sets to measure and ships them free to Adelaide from Türkiye. Detached houses give room for a full L-shape or U-shape, and linen covers suit the hot, dry summers. Cushions use 32 kg/m³ foam with zippered, washable covers. Sofhu has no Adelaide shop; you order by sending your wall measurements.
On this page
Floor seating is not new to Adelaide. Afghan cameleers built a mosque in the city in 1888–89, one of the oldest in Australia. More than a century later the city has Afghan, Lebanese, Iraqi and Syrian communities. For these families a majlis sofa in Adelaide is the ordinary way to furnish a guest room, and Sofhu makes one to fit the room you have. It builds two things: the raised, fully upholstered Arabic majlis shown at the top of this page, and low floor sets such as the toshak, which belong to the Arabic floor sofa family.
Toshak first: the Afghan way of seating guests
For Afghan households the starting point is the toshak, a long floor mattress used for sitting, for meals and for sleeping. Guests lean on a bolster or back pillow, the balesht. In winter, families traditionally gathered on toshaks around a sandali, a low table under a quilt.
Sofhu’s toshak-style sets keep the long, low line and are filled with 32 kg/m³ (32 DNS) high-density foam. Sofhu says its toshak covers have zips and can be machine washed in cold water, turned inside out.
A toshak and an Arabic majlis are close relatives, but not the same. The toshak is plainer and doubles as a bed. The Arabic majlis is more structured and sits higher, with a solid upholstered base, a fixed backrest and an armrest between sitters. Our comparison of the Afghan toshak and the Arabic majlis sets them side by side. See also the Afghan toshak style page, the explainer on what a toshak is, and Sofhu’s own premium Afghan toshak page.
Lebanese, Iraqi and Syrian sitting rooms
Many Arab families in Adelaide have roots in the Levant and Iraq. In Iraq the reception room, the diwaniya, is expected to be the largest room in the house, and that expectation travels. The Levantine jalsa arabiya is the mattress, backrest and armrest set known across Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.
Both translate into the same order from Sofhu: wall-to-wall seating with armrests, in a fabric that suits the family’s taste. The Iraqi diwaniya and Syrian and Levantine seating pages describe each tradition.
Detached houses give you the full layout
Most Adelaide homes are detached houses, and that is good news for a majlis. A separate lounge or a spare front room can take seating on three walls.
| Room | Layout that usually works |
|---|---|
| Separate guest lounge | U-shape on three walls |
| Family room with a television wall | L-shape in the opposite corner |
| Spare bedroom or study | Single row, toshak-style |
| Rumpus room | U-shape with floor cushions for children |
Both kinds of set stand against a wall, so measure wall lengths and mark doors and windows. The L-shape and U-shape layout guide explains how the corners are built.
Hot, dry summers: choosing the cover
Adelaide summers are hot and dry. A cover that breathes makes the difference between a seat you use in January and one you avoid. Sofhu describes its linen as porous, absorbent and refreshing in hot weather; the linen floor sofa page shows it. Velvet is the traditional choice for a formal guest room and is described by Sofhu as durable and easy to clean. In a cooled lounge it is perfectly comfortable.
Strong sun through a north or west window is hard on any fabric, and Sofhu publishes no UV rating. Use curtains or blinds in the afternoon and turn loose cushions now and then.
A note on the foam
The 32 in 32 DNS is density: one cubic metre of the foam weighs about 32 kg. It tells you how much material is in the seat, not how firm it feels. Denser foam generally holds its height and support longer than light budget foam. The cushions contain no springs.
Ordering a majlis sofa for Adelaide
Sofhu is the manufacturer and sells direct. It has no shop or stock in Adelaide. To order:
- Measure the walls and take two or three photos of the room.
- Send them through the quote form or WhatsApp, and say whether you want a toshak-style or Arabic-style set.
- Agree layout, fabric and cushion thickness.
- The set is made, vacuum packed and shipped free to your door.
Import taxes or charges may apply to goods entering Australia, so ask Sofhu how your order will be handled before confirming.
For the wider region see majlis seating in South Australia and the national overview of Arabic sofas in Australia. Complete sets are described on the majlis sofa sets page.
